FAQs

I use the Blend method. This is true, galvanic Electrolysis with a very low level of Thermolysis added to increase the efficacy of the True Electrolysis.

The industry has been somewhat misleading by classifying Thermolysis as Electrolysis. Electrolysis is actually a chemistry term that refers the the addition of a voltage potential in the form of Direct Current electricity to cause a chemical reaction. In the case of Electrolysis, this is H2O + NaCl + DC Voltage -> NaOH (in the follicle) + HCl (on the probe that the patient holds). Thermolysis is merely using radio frequency (RF) alternating current (AC) to heat the tip of the probe. This causes electrocoagulation at the site. And while capable of killing the dermal papilla cells, it requires the practitioner to have the probe insertion near perfect every time, which is extremely difficult to do as no two follicles are the same. It is much easier to overtreat the follicle with Thermolysis and once the very short pulse of AC is complete, the treatment is done.

In contrast, with Electroysis and Blend, the caustic action of the created Lye is effective in the destruction of the dermal papilla cells long after the probe is removed from the follicle, up to minutes later. It takes years of experience to master a near perfect insertion and even then, the literature suggests that Thermolysis has at least 3x the regrowth compared to true Electroysis.

I would argue that most practitioners don't have this sort of touch or feel and that Thermolysis is very ineffective compared to Blend or True Electroysis. I've had over a hundred hours of personal treatment using both Blend and Thermolysis, and for me there was no comparision between the two. The Thermolysis treatments I received were very ineffective, with most of the hairs regrowing. Whereas the Blend treatments I received have been very effective with minimal regrowth. I would never, ever use straight Thermolysis and wish it would either be banned or at least there be a requirement that thermolysis practitioners be clear that they aren't actually doing Electrolysis, because no chemical electroysis is taking place (i.e. no long lasting Lye production to kill the target cells).

Electrolysis is far superior to thermolysis for permanent hair removal.

The main difference between electrolysis and thermolysis lies in the type of energy used and the effects of this energy on the dermal papilla cells, which are the cells at the base of the follicle responsible for hair growth. Electrolysis uses Direct Current (DC) electricity to create Lye in the follicles, which very effectively destroys the dermal papilla cells. Thermolysis targets the same cells, but attempts to destroy them with Alternating Current (AC) electricity in the Radio Frequency band. No Lye is produced with Thermolysis, but rather the cells are thermally heated by a method called electrocoagulation. A thermolysis pulse is typically very fast compared to a Blend/Electrolysis pulse, so more hairs can be treated in a session using thermolysis. However, the regrowth rate of thermolysis is at least 3 times that of electrolysis.

I would NEVER recommend thermolysis.

These methods of treating hair with the goal of permanent hair removal are completely different. For one, only Electrolysis is FDA certified as permanent hair REMOVAL. Laser is merely hair REDUCTION.

Electrolysis uses an electric current, treating one hair follicle at a time, making it suitable for all hair and skin types. Laser hair removal, on the other hand, uses concentrated light energy to treat a patch of skin, sometimes the size of a quarter in one 'shot'. The entire area, such as the face, is divided up into sections and the laser is scanned across the area firing very high energy pulses at each position. So multiple hair follicles are treated simultaneously, which allows an area such as the face to be treated in roughly 30 minutes. I've had laser done and it is extremely painful. At least on order of magnitude moreso than electrolysis.

Laser works by exciting the melanin molecules in the darker hairs and this energy is transfered down the follicle to the dermal papilla cells in an attempt to thermally kill these cells. It is not very effective in doing so, with the bulk of treated hairs regrowing at a later time. So it isn't considered permanent and is absolutey not appropriate for Gender Reassignment Surgery prep, because if the patient has regrowth after their surgery, they can effectively have hair growing inside their vaginal canal and this hair is untreatable except by subsequent surgery.

Laser only works on darker hairs containing melanin, and also should never be used on people with darker skin and the skin can be extensively damaged by the laser, since it is melanin that also makes the skin dark.

This varies widely from client to client and for the different areas of the body to be cleared.

Some people have a few thin to medium facial hairs on their chin that they wish removed and for them, perhaps 1 - 3 sessions are adequate. Others might have a thick, dense beards they wish gone and this could require many dozens of hour-long sessions to treat. To estimate, I really need to see the area to be treated and observe the pain tolerance the client has.

Also, client hairs very drastically between area to area and client to client. Some have deep, thick hairs while others have much finer hairs, and this heavily impacts the time to treat these hairs. Curved follicles also work to slow progress. Clients even have different moisture levels and different chemistry profiles in their follicles and this also affects treatment time. So it's really impossible to say with any accuracy until I've assessed a client in person.

Electrolysis is a process and it takes time. Some treated hairs will be in the late stage of their life cycles and these are not killable at the time of treatment because the target cells, the dermal papilla, have separated from the base of the hair as it prepares to naturally fall out, so they aren't exposed to the Lye when treated. These follicles will exhibit apparent (not true) regrowth but will be killable the next time they appear. True regrowth is when the hair follicle and dermal papilla cells are present and killable, yet they don't get killed. This can happen for a number of reasons. The client might not be sufficiently hydrated, the insertion might be off, the settings used might be insufficient, there might not be enough salt (NaCl) in that particulare follicle... Many reasons can cause regrowth. But a good practitioner can expect to kill about 75 - 80% of killable hairs, and perhaps 70% of the hairs will be in a phase of their life cycle to be killable. So roughly 50 - 60% of treated hairs will be permanently killed in one treatment and this ratio improves over time, between successive sessions.

Before an electrolysis session, begin hydrating as much as is practical starting 36 hours before our session. It helps with your comfort significantly and makes the treatment much better overall. I recommend to avoid direct sun exposure and tanning startomg several days before treatment. If you can, stop doing any hair removal methods that effectively tweeze out the hair (e.g., waxing, plucking, sugaring, threading). This can distort the follicles making them harder to treat with electrolysis and in some cases can cause the hairs to come back thicker and darker. Shaving is always fine and preferred.

It's best to have clean skin free of makeup, lotions, or creams to ensure a successful and hygienic treatment. To improve comfort during treatment, I recommend taking a pain killer such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen 1 hour before our session. For more sensitive people, i recommend prescription strength BLT (Benzocaine, Lidocaine, Tetracraine cream - not ointment) applied 30-45 minutes before our session. Covering the area after applying the cream with plastic wrap helps keep it from evaporating.

After an electrolysis session, please try to avoid direct sun exposure for 48 hours and use a high SPF sunscreen if you must be outside. Also, please refrain from touching or scratching the treated area, and apply aloe vera in the evening after our session and again the following morning. This promotes healing and helps to reduce potential redness or irritation.

To successfully extract the treated hair with tweezers, ideally the hair length is about 3 mm. This usually equates to 2 - 3 days of growth for most people after clean shaving. If the hair is shorter than this, it is very difficult to remove after being treated. If the hair is quite long, it gets confusing to isolate, treat and remove a single hair and the treatment process can be slowed significantly, resulting in fewer hairs removed per session.

For my more sensitive patients, I recommend taking either ibuprofen or acetaminophen an hour before our session. In addition, prescription strength numbing cream can help significantly. This is a combination of Benzocaine, Lidocaine and Tetracaine and the patient should get a prescription from their healthcare provider. Please use cream rather than ointment. Ideally, apply a thin layer only to the area to be treated (such as an upper lip, a chin, a scrotum, etc.) half an hour before and again 15 minutes before treatment. Covering the area where the cream is applied with plastic wrap greatly helps the efficacy of the cream, as it doesn't get absorbed into clothing or evaporate.